FAR 23.1529 — Continued Airworthiness Instructions
FAR 23.1529 requires applicants to prepare Instructions for Continued Airworthiness per Appendix A, acceptable to the FAA, before first airplane delivery.
FAR 23.1529 sets a certification requirement for the applicant (the manufacturer seeking a type certificate for a small airplane under Part 23), not for pilots directly. It requires the applicant to prepare Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) that are:
- Written in accordance with Appendix A of Part 23, and
- Acceptable to the Administrator (the FAA).
These instructions are the foundation for how operators, owners, and mechanics will keep the airplane airworthy throughout its service life — covering maintenance, inspections, servicing, and overhaul information.
The rule also provides flexibility on timing: the ICA may be incomplete at type certification, as long as a program is in place to ensure they are finished before the first airplane is delivered or before issuance of the first standard airworthiness certificate, whichever happens later.
Why it matters operationally: the ICA is what your A&P uses to maintain the airplane and what feeds into the maintenance manuals you rely on as PIC to confirm the aircraft is airworthy before flight.